The Juventus star will sit
out Monday's Nations League clash with Italy, but the Azzurri boss will not be
taking the Euro 2016 winners for granted.
Italy head coach Roberto
Mancini feels Portugal are stronger with Cristiano Ronaldo, though the European
champions are still a great team without their star captain.
Ronaldo will miss
Portugal's Nations League opener against Italy in Lisbon on Monday after the
five-time Ballon d'Or winner opted to skip this month's internationals.
The 33-year-old forward –
who is yet to open his account for Serie A champions Juventus since arriving
from Real Madrid – is Portugal's most-capped player and all-time leading scorer
with 85 goals in 154 appearances.
While Portugal felt
Ronaldo's absence in a 1-1 friendly draw against Croatia, Mancini is not taking
the Euro 2016 winners for granted.
"Portugal won the last
European Cup. They are stronger when Ronaldo is playing," Mancini said.
"But even without Ronaldo the team is very good with lot of technical
players.
"When Ronaldo will not
play football anymore, I hope as far as possible for him, Portugal will try to
do something different and this is a good chance for them.
"But they are still a
great team, even without Ronaldo."
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